You can now watch Netflix through the Apple TV app, but there’s a catch

By Lulu Chang January 19, 2017

Netflix Windows 10 — Image used with permission by copyright holder

Netflix and Apple have found a way to play nice with one another.

That would seem to be the case, at least, now that the two have made it easier for viewers to watch Netflix titles directly from Apple’s TV app. Or rather, Netflix has finally gotten on board. For those of us who need a quick refresher, Apple unveiled its new TV app back in October, which was meant to serve as a portal for all digital video streaming services — no more going from app to app in order to watch your favorite television shows or movies (seriously, why can’t you switch directly from Transparent to Game of Thrones anyway?). But once provider was conspicuously missing: Netflix.

At the time, it seemed that Netflix declined to be part of Apple’s new service in order to keep a tighter hold on its streaming data. After all, this is the information the company uses to not only make recommendations on what you might enjoy, but also to create wildly popular original series of its own, like House of Cards or Orange is the New Black.

Historically, Netflix has been extremely possessive of this data, but for the first time, it looks like it might be willing to share. As a result of its integration with Apple and the TV app, the streaming service would have to give the iEmpire access to some of its data (though just how much is unclear). But at the very least, Apple would know what a user searched for and streamed.

But there’s one huge catch: If you’re looking for original content, it’s nowhere to be found on TV. So if you still need to finish A Series of Unfortunate Events, you better be prepared to go to the Netflix app. While it’s a small step in the name of cooperation, it’s a step all the same, and may make it that much easier for you to get your binge on, no matter what you’re hoping to watch.

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